Senior Legal Counsel

Hays

Your new company The client is a government-backed digital media company headquartered in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Your new role As Senior Legal Counsel, your role will focus on providing strategic legal advice and managing complex transactions to support the company's growth and compliance objectives. You will also contribute to broader corporate initiatives, lead M&A transactions, support investment activities, advise on commercial contracts, and ensure adherence to legal and regulator Your new company The client is a government-backed digital media company headquartered in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Your new role As Senior Legal Counsel, your role will focus on providing strategic legal advice and managing complex transactions to support the company's growth and compliance objectives. You will also contribute to broader corporate initiatives, lead M&A transactions, support investment activities, advise on commercial contracts, and ensure adherence to legal and regulatory requirements. The role involves close collaboration with internal and external stakeholders to help drive the company's strategic goals. Responsibilities Provide legal guidance on corporate governance, commercial agreements, and employment law issues. Oversee M&A transactions from end to end, including due diligence, deal structuring, negotiations, and execution. Dealing with investment initiatives such as private equity deals, joint ventures, and fund formation. Draft, analyse, and negotiate complex legal documents, including shareholder agreements, acquisition contracts, and employment terms. Ensure adherence to the UAE legal and regulatory frameworks while staying informed on global compliance trends. Manage relationships with external legal counsel and supervise litigation or dispute resolution processes as needed. Deliver proactive legal risk assessments and develop mitigation strategies to support operational resilience. Collaborate with senior leadership to advance strategic initiatives and contribute to key corporate projects. What you'll need to succeed Bachelor's degree in Law (required); Master's degree is a plus Qualified in a common law jurisdiction (e.g., UK, US, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa) Minimum of 8 years' experience in M&A within an international law firm and/or in-house legal environment Proven track record in managing cross-border transactions and complex negotiations Strong ability to thrive in a fast-paced setting and handle multiple projects simultaneously Fluent in English, Arabic language skills are an advantage. What you'll get in return Competitive tax-free salary + benefits